Thursday, November 12, 2015

Jesus Taught Grace

"Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst," (John 8: 1-3)Jesus sat down, and taught people.

Just sitting down, Jesus demonstrated grace.

Today, He is seated at the right hand of God the Father, announcing to the world that the work is done:

"Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;" (Hebrews 1: 3)

and

"But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;" (Hebrews 10:12)

Now, in the above passage, Jesus sat down to teach, and the Pharisees, trying to trap Him with the woman caught in adultery, gave Jesus another opportunity to teach grace:

"They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not." (John 8: 4-6)

He did not look at them, but rather wrote on the ground. Then:

"So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground." (John 8: 7-8)

None of us is without sin. From the Psalmists to the Kings and the prophets, man is convicted of his own sin. I believe that Jesus in turn began writing down their names, for the Pharisees had exposed themselves fully complicit with the adulterous woman -- no one commits such sins in the open, and they could not have caught her "in the very act" unless they were with her.

"And they which heard it, being convicted by their ownconscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst." (John 8: 9)

Grace will put to silence accusers, and allow Jesus to minister to those in need:

"When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more." (John 8: 10-11)

Jesus taught grace, and even when man tried to use the law to stop Him, Jesus would turn the condemnation upon them and minister grace to those in need.